Component shortages have delayed the national introduction of body cameras within the Swedish police.
In one year, only about half of the planned 10,000 cameras have been put into operation.
But these are still considered to have made a big difference – both in the fight against crime and for the police’s working environment.
– You act in a different way towards the staff, says Tobias Stenström, acting head of the national camera coordination.
It was after several pilot projects since 2018 that the police decided last year to give all personnel in external service access to a body camera. But the rollout of a total of nearly 10,000 cameras, which began in December 2022 and was then expected to take a year, has run afoul of patrols.
– We have had problems with component shortages, explains Tobias Stenström.
– It is clear that there will be frustration, but we have a good plan.
The cameras make a difference
Above all, it is components for the mounts that have been difficult to obtain and which has meant that only around 6,000 cameras have been able to be put into operation so far. The rest are not expected to be fully in place until spring 2024.
Nevertheless, the investment is considered to have already made a difference, not least for the staff’s working environment. For example, Stenström claims to notice a big difference in certain districts of Gothenburg, where mainly female police officers were previously exposed to a lot of threats and violations.
– As soon as the camera comes on, it becomes something else. You see that it is documented and then you behave in a different way, he says.
“We will continue”
No statistics on the number of prosecutions or a safer work environment thanks to the body cameras are yet available. But several different evaluations are now to be expected.
– It is very important. We will continue with this and there may be other technology in the future. We have to start looking at that already now, how it can be useful in investigations, but also in the operational part.